***The Official Columbia College of Dental Medicine Class of 2024 Interview/Acceptance Thread***

[nightowl54]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I interviewed on 9/27, but did not hear back from CDM on 12/2. When do they send out the next "round" of acceptances? Or is there no type of pattern for acceptances from here on out??

D1 at Columbia here. One of my classmates interviewed in October but didn’t hear of his acceptance until like March. Very strange.. I guess for some applicants, it takes a bit more time. No news is good news!! You don’t have a rejection so keep waiting

 

[mintdental]

D1 at Columbia here. One of my classmates interviewed in October but didn’t hear of his acceptance until like March. Very strange.. I guess for some applicants, it takes a bit more time. No news is good news!! You don’t have a rejection so keep waiting

I just started a conversation, as I don't know how to message. Thanks!

 

[dentalgabbs]

Anyone putting their deposit down? Sending mine in soon! Have to wait to see if I get the HPSP though lol

I sent my deposit in Wednesday 🙂

 

[Sforzando]

I interviewed on 9/27, but did not hear back from CDM on 12/2. When do they send out the next "round" of acceptances? Or is there no type of pattern for acceptances from here on out??

Current D1.
I vaguely recall Columbia sending out acceptance offers once every two weeks, on a Friday.
Obviously every year is different, so don't quote me on this.

 

[u_stepped_on_mi_to_sis]

I interviewed on 9/27, but did not hear back from CDM on 12/2. When do they send out the next "round" of acceptances? Or is there no type of pattern for acceptances from here on out??

hey! do you mind me asking what ur stats are? i interviewed in September too but still haven’t heard back

 

[denthusiastic]

Did anyone receive a scholarship with their acceptance?

 

[coolsmile]

Has anyone received a letter in the mail? I just got the email acceptance and a call, but no actual letter 🙁. Still waiting for it.

 

[hornedfrog2020]

Has anyone received a letter in the mail? I just got the email acceptance and a call, but no actual letter 🙁. Still waiting for it.

Received a letter yesterday.

 

[imKarim]

Status just changed to application denied. No email yet.
Without interview


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[dentalschl44]

Status just changed to application denied. No email yet.
Without interview


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

Do you mind sharing stats?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[Trave_]

D2 here. Yeah decisions are made on Fridays, whether they notify students then or not may differ.

 

[dentalninja49]

How much is the deposit?

 

[nightowl54]

How much is the deposit?

Last year's was $3,000. Should be the same this year

 

[Invisibility]

Last year's was $3,000. Should be the same this year

I'm guessing it was also non-refundable last year?

 

[Sforzando]

Non-refundable.

 

[nightowl54]

I'm guessing it was also non-refundable last year?

Non-refundable $3,000 deposit, yes

 

[dentalninja49]

t

Is it applied to your tuition if you put the deposit down and end up attending?

 

[nightowl54]

Is it applied to your tuition if you put the deposit down and end up attending?

Yes

 

[JustAWanderingStudent]

Does Columbia give out D2/D3/D4 specific scholarships?

 

[dentalninja49]

Current Columbia dental students: what would you all say is average student debt upon graduation for a student with zero financial support from parents? How do most students plan on paying for this? Is specializing after Columbia financially worth it if you are $470 K in debt and have that lump sum accruing compound interest at 6-7% for 3 years without making payments, not to mention taking on more debt to specialize? Sounds like after 7 years (4 years of dental school and a 3 year residency) that could easily turn into $600K+ debt.

 

[dentalninja49]

Current Columbia dental students: what would you all say is average student debt upon graduation for a student with zero financial support from parents? How do most students plan on paying for this? Is specializing after Columbia financially worth it if you are $470 K in debt and have that lump sum accruing compound interest at 6-7% for 3 years without making payments, not to mention taking on more debt to specialize? Sounds like after 7 years (4 years of dental school and a 3 year residency) that could easily turn into $600K+ debt.

Just trying to hear a new perspective from a dental student in this position, because 99% of what I find online is people saying "PICK THE CHEAPEST DENTAL SCHOOL".

 

[Queserrva]

Just trying to hear a new perspective from a dental student in this position, because 99% of what I find online is people saying "PICK THE CHEAPEST DENTAL SCHOOL".

Not a Columbia student but Penn is about the same price. And I can't justify borrowing more than 400k to get a DDS. If you borrow 400k, you can expect that to rise to 500k by the time you graduate. In residency (a paid one that is), you can pay off the interest so that the debt remains at 500k. If you pay for residency, your debt will certainly rise to 700k+.

By that point, if you aren't making anything near OMFS salary, you can expect the drown in debt. You best choice is to do a repayment plan from the government, so long as you borrowed from them.

There's no perspective more important to consider than your financials. Dental school will likely be the same experience and suck no matter if you go to Harvard or Howard. Pick the cheapest school so you won't regret paying a third of your future salary into something because you had better clinical opportunities, brighter classmates or teachers, or better technology.

 

[slewis2288]

I am hoping to submit a deposit to Columbia. Does anyone know if their biochemistry requirement needs a lab?

 

[nightowl54]

I am hoping to submit a deposit to Columbia. Does anyone know if their biochemistry requirement needs a lab?

No lab requirement! I took an intro biochem class, and that was enough

 

[JustAWanderingStudent]

For those who interview post-December 2nd, the first day they'll send acceptances is on Jan 3rd right?

 

[futuredent122024]

how soon does Columbia notify applicants interviewing post-dec? my interview is in early Jan

 

[nightowl54]

how soon does Columbia notify applicants interviewing post-dec? my interview is in early Jan

My interview last cycle was in mid January, and I was notified of my acceptance exactly 3 weeks later (in early Feb).

 

[the5]

Has anyone heard back of acceptance after Dec 2nd?

 

[slewis2288]

Did anyone else put down a deposit at Columbia?!

 

[the5]

When is the deposit due?

 

[wengerout]

Does Columbia give out D2/D3/D4 specific scholarships?

Rare, but they exist. Not for that much money. Biggest aid is the need based aid of 12.5k a year at the max

 

[wengerout]

Current Columbia dental students: what would you all say is average student debt upon graduation for a student with zero financial support from parents? How do most students plan on paying for this? Is specializing after Columbia financially worth it if you are $470 K in debt and have that lump sum accruing compound interest at 6-7% for 3 years without making payments, not to mention taking on more debt to specialize? Sounds like after 7 years (4 years of dental school and a 3 year residency) that could easily turn into $600K+ debt.

Depends on your goals. For example one student here moonlighted as a GP while doing his OMFS residency, and made 100k a year that year (it was during his med school year). For others who want to do residencies like Endo or Ortho, it's worth the cost since it's pretty hard to get into either, especially endo unless you do a GPR.

There's aslo people on scholarships, military aid, NHSC, etc.

 

[wengerout]

Not a Columbia student but Penn is about the same price. And I can't justify borrowing more than 400k to get a DDS. If you borrow 400k, you can expect that to rise to 500k by the time you graduate. In residency (a paid one that is), you can pay off the interest so that the debt remains at 500k. If you pay for residency, your debt will certainly rise to 700k+.

By that point, if you aren't making anything near OMFS salary, you can expect the drown in debt. You best choice is to do a repayment plan from the government, so long as you borrowed from them.

There's no perspective more important to consider than your financials. Dental school will likely be the same experience and suck no matter if you go to Harvard or Howard. Pick the cheapest school so you won't regret paying a third of your future salary into something because you had better clinical opportunities, brighter classmates or teachers, or better technology.

I'll respectfully disagree. While dental school "sucks" everywhere, there are schools who cross the line and those who don't. IMO when I was on the interview trail there were schools I saw that treated their students too poorly to justify paying thousands of dollars a year to go there. Schools holding student back over getting a 74 in a class, giving exams during lunch breaks, toxic professors, etc.

I paid about 100k more to go to Columbia over my cheapest option and it was well worth every penny IMHO.

 

[Hassoon64]

Is it common to be accepted after Dec. 2nd with a pre-Dec. Interview?

 

[JustAWanderingStudent]

Wait listed 🙁

 

[the5]

Wait list as well

 

[Hassoon64]

Wait-listed...good or bad?

 

[CJF19]

Waitlisted :/

 

[mas82]

Is waitlist the same thing as alternate list?

 

[Hassoon64]

Is waitlist the same thing as alternate list?

Yes

 

[TeethAreKewl]

If people are getting put on the waitlist, does that mean the class is now full?

 

[franfrenchfry]

If people are getting put on the waitlist, does that mean the class is now full?

probably not because there are still people interviewing in january/february

 

[CJF19]

Is waitlist the same thing as alternate list?

Yes if u check ADEA it will say waitlisted even though the email says alternate list

 

[ARRugula]

Was also waitlisted on 1/3. Did anyone get accepted that day?

 

[Hassoon64]

The wording of the email makes it seem like the waitlist is only for spots that are open due to students withdrawing. I hope that's not the case.

 

[franfrenchfry]

Did everyone that interview and didn't get in got waitlisted?

 

[Dr.sam2024]

Interview # 6
School: Columbia
Notification date: 01/06/2019
Method of notification: Email
Residency: NJ
AADSAS mail-out date: 06/17/2019
Application complete date: 07/03/2019
GPA (science, overall): 3.93, 3.90
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 22/23/17/25/None

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using SDN mobile

 

[DentalPickle]

Did everyone that interview and didn't get in got waitlisted?

I doubt it, would probably be too many potential students on top of those that are about to interview. Just hold tight!

 

[JustAWanderingStudent]

I doubt it, would probably be too many potential students on top of those that are about to interview. Just hold tight!

I wondered the same, I haven't heard anyone get accepted yet. On the website Columbia says that those waitlisted will hear back in March, but also on the same page it says they'll hear back starting in February.

 

[dentj5]

Does Columbia automatically waitlist applicants with a post-december interview, or do we have a chance to get in without being waitlisted if we interview in January?